Home
by Zeelo
Summary: The year is AC196. Peace has been attained, but underneath the calm exterior lurks another danger that could destroy everything. New allies and enemies collide as the fight for the earth's future begins…again.  ON HIATUS
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. Never have, never will.

XXXXXXXXXX: represents scene/time change

Author commentary (03/20/10): This poor, poor fanfic. Due to the brutal attack of becoming an adult, this fanfiction has been on a five year hiatus and it has bothered me to no end (obviously not enough since I haven't touched it in years); but, I'm putting out the effort to try again. Gundam Wing: The Lost Year is an alternate telling of the year between the Gundam Wing series and Endless Waltz. After looking over the completed chapters of this continuation, they will all be reedited and many of the chapters I wrote in high school will be burned in an angry, fiery furnace. So, as to where this fic is going, your guess is as good as mine.

Warnings: language, violence, possible shonen-ai/yaoi references and/or content (I'm serious when I say I don't know where I'm going with this)

**Prologue **

The war of AC195 had devastated the world economy and created a lack of unity within the separate governments of Earth and the space colonies. However, through the combined efforts of Relena Peacecraft and her many devoted followers, the Earth Sphere Unified Nation was effectively established to bring peace to a civilization whose development had been compromised by war.

After Colony 196: Peace between the Earth and space colonies has been sustained, thanks to the efforts of the Gundams in their last battle, and people seem eager to return to lives that are free from the loom of conflict. However, there are those who believe that not all people within the governing powers of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation are ready for this so-called peace.

Recently, the remains of mobile dolls in the atmosphere have come to light around the L7 colony cluster, and, despite thorough investigations, no apparent cause has been detected. Colonists and the people of Earth are shifting uneasily as new discoveries in the Earth's atmosphere are being made, their minds still lingering in past bloodshed. Just as the Gundams have not gone cold, neither has the heat between Earth and the colonies been entirely extinguished. It would not take much to shatter this newfound peace…

XXXXXXXXXX

"This station has really come a long way," Sally commented, looking out of the portal of the newly constructed space station, PM2. "The ESUN can't seem to find money in their budget to support the Preventer's Division, but when it comes to flashy technology, money never seems to be a problem."

Sally could hear Noin typing away on her laptop, quickly glancing through her e-mails. A pause in her clatter stoked Sally's curiosity and she walked over to peer at the monitor.

"Find anything interesting?" Sally asked, as she leaned on Noin's chair, trying to get a closer look. Noin gave the information on the computer screen one last glance before turning off the machine with an irritated sigh. As Noin slumped in her chair, Sally could see that her face was etched with an uncomfortable scowl.

"Do they think we're idiots?" Noin asked sourly. She rose from her desk and settled uneasily in an adjacent couch, chewing on her lip as her nerves began to get the best of her. "When I ask, 'what information do you have on the L7 incident,' what the hell do you think I'm going to do with an internet article? I haven't been a civilian for that long. I expect more from a colony's security headquarters." Sally followed Noin's steps and sunk in beside her.

"You'd think after this incident the ESUN would be more open to accepting the Preventer's Division, but I guess they don't want to send any unspoken messages to the public," Sally noted with disappointment.

"I'm getting fed up," Noin continued. "It's about time we started taking matters into our own hands. That's what Preventers is supposed to do, right? Investigate suspicious activity…try to maintain peace. We're like firefighters trying to put out fires, but these guys aren't helping us out by telling us where the fires might be."

"Maybe they don't have anything to give us." Noin scoffed, irritated at the notion.

"Sally, I know what it feels like to be treated like an annoying reporter rather than a soldier. If they had any respect left for us vets of the Eve Wars, you'd think they'd take any help they could get. If we were able to get the pilots back out here—"

"Whoa, now hold on a minute!" Sally interrupted. "You can't just pull those boys back at your beck and call. You can't be sure of anything without the proper information."

"What do you think I've been trying to do for the past month?!" Noin snapped, her frustration fully coming to the surface. "I know how to trust my instinct, and I'm telling you, if we sit around and try to wheedle any more information out of colonial security without addressing the problem head-on, we're all going to be sorry!"

Noin sighed, running her hands through her hair, trying to calm herself when she knew that Sally didn't deserve to feel the brunt of her emotions.

"We've come this far," Noin said quietly, attempting to ease her aggravation. "I don't want to see any of our efforts go to waste."

"I agree with you there, but do you think the guys would be up for this? I mean, we know them, but we don't _know_ them. Maybe they're not cut out for this thing?"

"Not cut out for…"

"Okay, okay," Sally interrupted before Noin could continue. "That sounded better in my head than when I said it. Basically, what I'm saying is… maybe they're just not interested. Maybe they like eating real food and playing sports and going on dates with cute little high school girls—"

"This conversation is pathetic," Noin said, raising her hand as if she was giving Sally the motion to desist from any further mention. "God help us if we're going to delve into the personal lives of five ex-terrorists.

"But please, let's be serious. Something is going on out there. The colony representatives know about it, and they're not going to tell us anytime soon. Maybe… maybe I'm contacting the wrong people."

"What do you mean?"

"Une… has found an agent for hire."

"Does the agent have a name?" Noin closed her eyes, searching for a name somewhere within her mind, only to turn up with nothing.

"I don't think she said. Maybe he could give us a lead."

"Yeah, you might as well, but be careful; I'd hate to throw all our money on a gamble like a nameless agent."

Noin nodded in agreement and rose from the couch; she paced slowly back and forth, her restlessness coupling with the thought of the chance to actually get some answers. "Well, we have to make a decision soon. Even if we're being paranoid, I'd prefer to get them out here in case of an emergency."

"How about we send a letter to Quatre and he can notify the others?" Sally suggested. "Chances are the communication lines between them haven't completely dried up, but… do you think they'll really come over some mobile doll parts?"

"We can't force them to come out here," Noin said, smiling a little. "Guess if they decide to take up our offer, _they'd_ be the paranoid ones, not us." Sally chuckled lightly and stretched out her back.

"Sure, we'll send out invitations." Noin smirked at her comment and stopped her pacing, having come to a decision.

"Sounds like a plan to me."

TBC


	2. The Red String of Fate

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. Never have, never will.

XXXXXXXXXX: represents scene/time change

Warnings: strong language, violence, possible shonen-ai/yaoi references and/or content, possible shojo-ai/yuri references and/or content, and… you know what? Let's throw in suggestive dialogue for good measure.

**Chapter One (Act I & II)**

**The Red String of Fate**

Trowa leaned back onto the sofa, taking in the large expanse of what he thought to be an obscenely oversized lounge. The hot sun shone through the one of the tall windows, covered in a green tapestry which was embroidered with a decorative design. The floor was carpeted in the same unique color, obviously the prized work of an overenthusiastic decorator.

Trowa blended right in, due to his favorite green top, and yet, he still felt out of place. He rested his arm on the armrest and made an effort to cross his long legs, only to have his foot collide with the glass table. He hurried to steady the large piece of furniture as it trembled, trying to keep from breaking something that looked as if it might take a lifetime to replace.

Happy that he had effectively saved the priceless creation from an uncertain demise, he absent-mindedly began to fiddle with his sweater, smoothing out the areas where they had been tucked snuggly into his pants. He noticed, with some distain, that they didn't quite fit the same as before. It wouldn't be long before he'd grow into a new wardrobe altogether.

He sat alone in the lounge, waiting for Quatre to return from his meeting with the Maganacs. Quatre's entire estate was a big change from the mobile suit factories and battlegrounds he had basically called home for most of his life. If he had not seen it for himself, he would have thought these types of luxuries could only be found in one's fantasies. As out of place as he felt, the fact that Heavyarms was being housed in an underground warehouse gave him some form of comfort. He was still trying to decide if he actually missed piloting his Gundam, even though it had been months since he had entered the tiny cockpit. He was happy with the downtime, but he had to admit his restlessness was starting to get the better of him.

Sighing, he stood up and walked over to one of the elongated windows and looked out. The sun was setting far in the distance over the dunes, casting a beautiful array throughout the firmament. Through the opposite window, night was slowly making its presence known as a soft blanket of blue and black began to tuck the sun in snuggly over the horizon.

Trowa heard the front door shut downstairs and he had to calm the urge to plug his ear to the door. Quatre's recovery from his battle with Dorothy was painfully slow, and it had taken some time for Trowa to actually give Quatre the space he needed once he had regained the ability to manage on his own. But, Trowa had to admit, the anxiety was still there… that something might happen to him and he wouldn't be there to help. Trowa violently shook the thought away, knowing that Quatre would be able to feel his discomfort.

"Trowa, a letter came in the mail. I think you should take a look," Quatre said as he slid in through the doorway, shutting the door quietly behind him. Trowa turned to face him and leisurely walked back to the couch.

"How much do they get paid for bringing mail out this far into the desert?" Quatre looked up from the letter, momentarily taken aback by the seemingly random question.

"As isolated as we might seem, just over the dunes is the city. You can see it best at night, since it's a popular tourist attraction. The flight out here doesn't cost too much." Quatre walked over and handed the letter to Trowa, who was wondering just what was _too much_ in Quatre's realm of finances. Quatre sat down slowly, rubbing his head as the pain in his side hastened the oncoming of an apparent migraine. He brushed his shaggy hair back out of his face, his eyes shimmering between the windows of day and night.

Looking down at the letter, Trowa noted that it was dated January 23, AC196 and was addressed from Sally Poe. He skimmed the letter, noting her comments on the L7 incident and how information was difficult to obtain. It was basically a letter of persuasion, asking if Quatre would be willing to head out to their new space station, which had been named after the destroyed Peacemillion. She requested that Quatre notify the other Gundam pilots about the offer and to bring their Gundams.

Quatre tried to read Trowa's expression as he read the letter, but nothing significant really crossed his features. Quatre bent forward, picked up his tea, and sipped the fresh brew with obvious satisfaction. Then, he set it contently on his sturdy lap.

"At the very least, I'm curious," Quatre started with a sigh in his voice. "As much as I love Earth, we haven't seen the others in a while. I'm… starting to miss them." Trowa's smile was small, but meaningful. Quatre really was the most sensitive of all of them.

"You have a point…" Trowa refolded the letter and handed it back to Quatre, who placed it next to him on the sofa, the ends facing toward the ceiling.

"Really? Do you think you might want to go?" Quatre's voice with filled with anxious anticipation, toying with the idea that maybe Trowa had also grown fond of the others.

"What good will it do to remain here?" Trowa said, spoiling Quatre's hope, but not his demeanor. "_You're_ the one who seems excited."

"Well, I haven't seen Miss Noin or Miss Poe in quite a while. And the others… we were all so distant during the war. Maybe it can be different this time." The sound of a rapid knock whispered over to where they were sitting. Noting the distance between them and the door, Trowa was pretty sure the knock was from someone with a purpose.

"I believe that's the voice of opposition," Trowa commented, reaching for his own drink. Quatre signaled him to be quiet, a smile growing on his face at Trowa's rare attempt at humor. Quatre rose, but before he could reach the door, it opened abruptly and Rashid stepped inside, ready for an argument.

"Master Quatre, did you get the mail when it was dropped off?" Quatre reached for the stack of letters he had placed on the stand next to the door, revealing two from the many in his hand.

"Yes, there's one specifically to you and the other is a bill for some parts you ordered for the Maganac Corps." Quatre handed them to Rashid, who looked down at them with dissatisfaction.

"Did anything else come?" Rashid pressed.

"Why? Are you expecting something?" Rashid couldn't tell if the boy was ignorant or if he was being coy. Impatient, Rashid averted his gaze and rubbed the back of his neck.

"People are becoming very unnerved due to the L7 incident. Did… did anyone contact you?"

"As a matter of fact, they did."

_You're too honest for your own good,_ Trowa thought. Rashid shifted his position and swallowed anxiously.

"Are you going?" he asked as quietly as any army commander could ever do. Despite the fact that Quatre had already made his decision, he was dramatic in his stance and let the silence between the two of them lengthen until it became terribly uncomfortable for Rashid. Despite Quatre's sweet demeanor, he couldn't help but indulge in this rare moment of childish teasing. Out of the corner of his vision, Quatre could see Rashid shift uneasily as he kept the man in suspense. After a few moments, Quatre cast his eyes up to Rashid and nodded his head.

"Yes, I am…"

"But Master Quatre!" Rashid immediately challenged. "You're still recovering from your last battle. You aren't in any physical condition to go back to the colonies, lest Peacemillion."

"Sure, I am," Quatre argued. "Have you ever thought that maybe I'm having trouble recovering because my body is lacking the proper training? There might be some facilities available at this new space station that could help me in my recovery."

"But the doctor specifically said--"

"I know what he said, but I believe that I know myself better than anyone else. I can take care of myself, right, Trowa?"

"I will not be brought into this argument," Trowa announced, sipping at his drink. Quatre blushed slightly, momentarily embarrassed by Trowa's lack of support.

"Well…" Quatre started again as he regrouped his thoughts. "Trowa will be with me and he's taken very good care of me while he's been here. Will a change in scenery really be that dangerous?" Rashid stared at him for a long moment and then let out a heavy sigh.

"I'm not going to talk you out of this, am I?" Quatre shook his head and Rashid started to close the door, defeated. Suddenly, he stopped.

"Master Quatre, just do me one favor. Be careful. Your father entrusted your protection to me and I would like it if you'd come back without any more injuries." Quatre smiled sweetly as he brushed his hair back out of his face.

"I'm grateful for your concern, Rashid, but I'll be fine. Don't worry." Rashid nodded his head and closed the door behind him as he left. Quatre then walked back to the couch.

"Some help you are," Quatre said, a small pout making his lips tremble a little. Trowa wondered what Quatre would say if he could see himself pouting like a child. Trowa thought it was… well… he wasn't quite sure what it was, but he knew he liked it.

"I refuse to get involved in your arguments. They've gone on for much longer than that."

"They're not _that_ much of a problem." Trowa's blank stare was meant as a form of disagreement, but Quatre ignored it as he settled back onto the couch.

"But… you will come with me, right?" Quatre asked. Trowa looked out of one of the windows filled with blue and black velvet.

"Of course."

XXXXXXXXXX

Heero rubbed his face harshly, trying to get some feeling back into his chilled nose and cheeks. If these idiots liked the freezing cold winters and the sweltering summers, they could go back to Earth for all he cared. He didn't see why they couldn't keep the colony at a reasonable steady temperature year round. It wasn't as if they didn't have the technology.

Heero walked quickly, ignoring a group of students who parted like the Red Sea when he refused to move over to let them pass. He pulled his uniform jacket closer about his neck and was able to effectively trap a little heat around his chest. His usual green and black attire were tucked away for a warmer afternoon when school wasn't in session.

Heero shifted his textbooks in his arms, wondering why they seemed to grow heavier with each passing day. Maybe it was because he would have liked to have had more options when it came to choosing schools. Going to a school that actually tried to educate people instead of filling their heads with a crock pot full of shit would have been a more desirable alternative. Maybe he should have chosen a different school. Maybe he should have gone to Earth.

Maybe he just wasn't a people person.

The wind suddenly picked up as Heero turned the corner near the park. Becoming chilled, he pulled his jacket even closer and hunched over, trying to warm himself against the freezing temperature. Damned, incompetent, colonial morons…

"Heero! Hey, Heero!" Heero muttered darkly to himself. That was another reason he regretted enrolling.

_Duo._

He was still arrogant, still outgoing and contained an annoying persona that Heero couldn't stand. He wasn't sure if he could call Duo a _friend_, despite the boy's insistence on talking to him about anything and everything, but he was too trustworthy to be an enemy, even for him.

"Long time no see!" Duo said cheerfully, slapping Heero on the back.

"How many times have I told you not to do that?" He was embarrassing, if not to anyone else, than to him alone. The memory of a random fight in the schoolyard flashed through his mind. They had gotten into a pitiful argument with a group of boys that really wasn't worth the violence they had doled out. Their victory was meaningless and creating a scene on top of that was degrading. At this school, he would forever be known as _Seventh Hell Heero._

"Let's see," Duo started, pulling up his hand to count down the times on his fingers, only to eventually run out of digits. "Hmm, several, but I wasn't really listening."

"What do you want?" Heero snapped, thinking that Duo's _long time no see_ was simply not long enough.

"I got some mail from Quatre…" Duo grinned, watching with satisfaction as he effectively peaked Heero's interest. Heero was completely indifferent about his opinion of Quatre, but anything from him would probably be connected to L7. Duo handed him a disk balanced between his index and middle finger, a disk that Heero handled with great care.

"Basically, we Gundam pilots have been cordially invited to the girls' new space station which is currently orbiting…bet you can't guess where." Heero had played this game before and had come to hate it.

"That's right! The L7 colony cluster! I can't put anything past you, can I?" Heero's face was tight, showing what Duo had come to recognize as irritation. "Anyway, they're worried that the mobile dolls found at L7 are a threat to the colonies."

"If it really was just left over scrap metal from the Eve Wars, do you think they would be so obsessed?" Duo chuckled lightly and adjusted his collar.

"Maybe they're just taking extreme measures to make sure nothing happens that might disrupt _peace_. But hey, I can't really disagree with such obvious logic…Heero, my man," Duo said, swinging an arm around his shoulder. Heero tensed from the contact but, with his hands so congested with books, he didn't make the effort to push him away. "This place is stifling and the only thing that's keeping me from hanging myself are those lovely documentaries about the Eve Wars. Don't you just love those?"

"No."

"Finally! Something we agree on! Geeze, how can people document something without actually interviewing the people who lived it. If they really want to know what went on, they should have come to us. We've seen enough of it." Duo moved away from Heero and rubbed his hands together. "Now, getting back to Quatre's message; after some careful consideration, I've decided to go back."

"Why?"

"I just need to get out of here! I've gotten stuck here since returning from battle and the God of Death doesn't intend to make this a permanent arrangement any time soon. Even though I'm glad the war is over, seeing a little action wouldn't be so bad, either. Plus, I think my appearance on this space station will be a memorable one."

"Why?"

"Damn, you're so dense. Isn't it obvious? I'd like to see if it needs a little of my own touch with the remaining reconstruction. I'm not going to let years pass without letting people know that they've had the pleasure of working in a station visited by none other than Duo Maxwell himself."

"You're too proud."

"Ha! You're one to talk!" Heero and Duo turned into the park and walked to the point where the colony's winter fans, lest the citizens, could find them. Duo shook his head, letting his long braid toss over his shoulder. He slacked his arms behind his head and yawned loudly.

"What are you going to do about the message?" Duo asked, becoming restless at Heero's intense silence that showed no signs of letting up.

"Whatever my decision comes too," Heero replied matter-of-factly. Duo looked up and let out an exasperated sigh.

"Our conversations are always so riveting." Heero cast a glare in his direction and increased his speed, hoping that Duo would get the hint. Duo stopped and gave up, at least for today, and let Heero and his sour mood take them out of the park and towards his apartment.

Turning around, he walked back to the end of the park and headed down the paved street in the L2 colony. Looking behind him, he could see the ascension of the school. He felt kind of horrible twisting around his past to get into the school system. It wasn't exactly lying, but it wasn't really the truth, either. Duo couldn't give the system his real background information. It was all too personal and he would prefer if his history was kept to himself. It was amusing, though, when he refused to wear the blue attire that was part of regulations. They let him where his priest garb, seeing that Duo's sheer persistence wouldn't have it any other way.

He spun back around, causing his schoolbooks to fling to the side of his head. Rubbing roughly until the pain subsided, he continued down the street to his home. At first glance, it was merely the go-to junkyard on L2, but to Duo, it was much more.

He walked across the long street, stopping abruptly for a car that had come too quickly around the corner. He broke into a small jog, waving thankfully as the car let him pass. He strode down the walkway to his doorstep, placed his hand on the cold knob and pushed. Shivering, Duo shut the door behind him and began to shrug off his coat.

Duo looked around his home, happy that he had been lucky enough to get paired with a roommate that actually knew how to keep a place clean. Duo had been used to cleaning up after himself, especially when it came to keeping his identity a well-kept secret, but since peace had settled over them like a fog, his laid-back personality had got in the way of his organizational skills. Without her, the floor of his living quarters would be as dangerous as any minefield.

As Duo moved into the living room, he suddenly felt warm…

…maybe, a little _too_ warm.

"Geeze, Hildi, do you have to keep it so damn hot in here?" he yelled, hoping someone would answer. Hildi's head popped out from the kitchen, a mischievous smile darkening her face.

"Would you rather me lock you outside so you can freeze all night?" Duo gaped skeptically at her and peeked into the room, where Hildi was busy turning off her laptop, clothed in a purple sweater that matched her black jeans. Duo was still boggled at how she could keep those jeans perfectly black wash after wash.

"You wouldn't do that, now would you, Hildi?"

"Yes… oh, how was your day? Get anything out of Heero?"

"Nope, he's about as stubborn as a mule. Hey, what're you up to?" Hildi stood up and stretched her back out, laughing a little as she headed for the groceries she had neglected to put away.

"I was talking to my cousin on the vid phone. She asked about you."

"Ah, did you tell her your devilishly handsome roommate is doing a great job in school and is making all his classmates jealous?"

"No, I told her that my devilishly handsome roommate has been doing terrible in school because he can't get to school on time, if at all, and he has a short fuse when it comes to his classmates." Duo scoffed as he watched Hildi put up a couple of things in the fridge.

"At least I'm still devilishly handsome," Duo muttered. Hildi laughed again and reached for his book bag.

"Do you want me to take your books up for you?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, thanks." Hildi grabbed his things, but then took an abrupt step backwards.

"Duo, how long were you out there? You're hands are freezing!"

"Eh, I took a detour."

"Remind me to get you some gloves that won't go missing," Hildi said as she treaded up the stairs and into his bedroom. Making sure she was busily putting away his books, he began to quietly sneak towards the filled bags on the counter.

"Stay away from the groceries!" Hildi shouted down the stairwell, stopping Duo dead in his tracks.

"You're starving me, you know that!?" Duo yelled back, making an effort not to eat any food before it made it into the cabinet.

"Oh, Duo?" Hildi said, changing the subject. "A small package came for you. I put it on the table in the living room, but it seems to be missing. Did you already take it when you came in for a lunch break earlier?"

"Yeah, I did. I thought Heero would probably want to see it. It was from Quatre."

"What was it about?"

"L7…" Duo pulled a box from the bag, marveling at the sweet indulgence that Hildi had bought, probably just for his satisfaction since she never ate the stuff. Opening the cabinet, he made sure to put it in the front where it would be easy to find.

After a few moments, Duo realized that Hildi had become very silent, something that struck him as odd. Duo headed up the carpeted stairs and turned into his bedroom. Hildi was lying on her stomach with his books only partially put away.

"Hey, you okay?" Hildi sighed and looked back at Duo who was standing in the door. She sat up and flipped through one of Duo's books like it was an old magazine in a doctor's office.

"Yeah, I'm fine… just tired." Duo sat down on her bed and began to gently rub her shoulders. She was still rehabilitating from her injuries and had been able to get past the point where pain was not a daily battle, but trying to find the energy to keep her going through the day was a bit tricky.

"You're lying," Duo said in a singsong voice. "You know as well as I do what was in that package."

"Do you really have to go?" Hildi asked abruptly, looking up at him with an expression that was pleading with him not to. Duo hesitated, afraid to give her the truth for fear that she might fall apart on him. But, he was never one to tell a lie.

"Yes, I am." Hildi nodded her head slowly, trying to take in his answer with a calm exterior. She knew this had been coming, but, they had been so comfortable together in this house. At least, she thought they had… "Will you be okay by yourself? I'll stay if you want me to."

"No, that's okay," Hildi replied, trying to brush off the situation in order to keep Duo from feeling guilty. And yet, at the same time, she knew that Duo was much smarter than most other boys his age. He cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him.

"No… no, it's not," he said softly. Looking into Duo's eyes, Hildi finally let the tears slide. She knew it was okay to cry in front of him. She had done it many times during the rehabilitation when the pain had become too much for her. It always felt so embarrassing, though, especially when it was in front of a guy who never seemed to get upset enough to cry. Maybe it was just a guy thing…

Duo pulled her into his arms and held her as she cried quietly on his shoulder. It was nothing dramatic, but he could tell the situation was really bothering her.

"It_ is_ okay," she replied. "In all honesty, I don't like the idea of being left alone, but I want you to go out there."

She relaxed a bit as she slowly began to overcome her stress. "I guess it was silly of me to get so comfortable so quickly when I know you still have obligations."

"Hildi…"

"No, it may not look like it now, but I really do want you to go. I'm just being a little selfish, that's all. Just promise me," Hildi said, looking up at him with her tear-stained face. "Promise me you'll come back."

Duo wasn't really the type to consol people, but damn it, he was trying. Smiling, he pulled her back to him.

"I promise."

TBC

Zeelo: You know what I just realized. I left my fanfictions in America. *sigh* This is going to take longer than I thought.


	3. The Red String of Fate II

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. Never have, never will.

XXXXXXXXXX: represents scene/time change

Warnings: strong language, violence, possible shonen-ai/yaoi references and/or content, possible shojo-ai/yuri references and/or content, and… you know what? Let's throw in suggestive dialogue for good measure.

**Chapter One (Act III, IV & V)**

**The Red String of Fate**

After the Eve Wars, many changes had been made in the Earth Sphere. Groups such as OZ and the White Fang were now figures of the bleak past, forever held within the confines of history books. However, the Treize Faction still had a few members scattered throughout the atmosphere, though the numbers were increasingly sketchy.

Lady Une was not a supporter of the Treize Faction, but she did support the Preventers Division. After one month of peace, Lady Une, along with Lucrezia Noin and Sally Poe, began to meet daily to discuss how the world might keep from repeating past mistakes and be able to maintain peace. The Preventers Division was designed to keep this said peace going strong in the Earth Sphere by inspecting all suspicious and unusual activity that might arise.

While these three women worked furiously to get their ideas financially secured in the political arena, other organizations had begun to gain strength. The Warbon Foundation and the Barton Foundation, both giants in funding technological research and development, were making powerful strides in this new market, despite the fall in demand for mobile suits. Representatives from these two companies had comfortably settled into positions in the Earth Sphere Unified Nation, which remained under the watchful eye of Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlian.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Well, what's the verdict?" Noin asked, unsure if she wanted the truth or not. Lady Une sighed, the tension in her body running through her like a constant current. She tried to focus on the monitor, but she was truly, and thoroughly, pissed off.

"I lost track of what was going on at some point," she admitted. "It's coming to me in measures, though. Basically, they did not accept the Preventers Division…again."

"You've got to be kidding me! Why didn't they approve it _this_ time? Is it the same reason they've given you before?"

"Due to the unfortunate circumstances of our financial situation, we are unable to meet the financial requirements needed to get this division up and running. However, if you are able to meet the terms that we have given you--"

"—then we would be happy to help you in any way that we can," Noin finished bitterly.

"The representatives are using money as a way to keep Preventers from being formed," Une stated coldly. "It's easier for them to say that they don't have the money than to blatantly say that they hate our proposal. That would be…unprofessional."

Une gave another exasperated sigh before continuing. "Our approval rating is at 25% among the colony representatives and our rating amongst the citizens is even lower than that. Nobody wants to put in another special task force this close after the war, no matter how helpful it might be. With the people chanting freedom, I'm really starting to wonder if this is the right time to get this operation up and running."

"So…what do we do now?" Noin asked, feeling as if the situation was moving farther and farther from her control.

"When I arrive at PM2, we will continue to work on the layout of our division. We will not let this issue pass quietly." Noin nodded her head and then, with one quick glance to check that her immediate area was clear, she leaned towards the monitor.

"Have you found out anything?" Noin asked in a hushed voice, trying to keep their conversation just between the two of them. Eager ears always seemed to be attached to big mouths.

"I am, perhaps, one of the most hated people in this security office," Une said, a smirk playing on her lips. "The less they tell me, the more persistent I become."

"So you haven't found out a damn thing, have you?"

"Nothing at all. I'm just an old OZ lieutenant that can't keep her nose where it belongs and these people want to tell me that in the nicest way possible."

"Une, you better stay there until they wish the war came back just so they can get rid of you." Une's smirk bloomed into a dark smile, something that Noin found very reassuring.

"Also," Noin started, hoping that a change in subject would bring up her mood. "_Please_ tell me you were to talk to Gordon about his agent."

"It seems I don't have any good news for you today," Une replied. "I haven't had a chance to speak to him. Being a representative from Earth, he rarely comes to the colonies unless he's attending a meeting. Also, interference from increased travel in the Earth's atmosphere has made communication much harder than in previous years."

"I guess I don't have any good news for you either. I'm still examining the data from the mobile dolls, but I still can't seem to place them. They don't appear to be any more advanced than the dolls I fought in the war, but the hull of each suit doesn't seem to be affiliated with any group that we've heard of."

"Well, I guess we both have our work cut out for us," Une said, dismayed at their current position. "Contact me if anything surfaces."

"I will." Une watched as Noin leaned forward and disconnected the call. Her monitor then scrambled and turned black, showing the reflection of a tired woman at her wits end.

Pulling herself together, she rose from her seat and proceeded down the lengthy hallway in the shuttle port near L7's embassy. Sally was waiting for her ahead, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. When she realized who was coming, she pushed off and fell into stride with Une's brisk military step.

"Are we about to head out?" Sally asked, not trying to hide her restlessness.

"Not yet," she replied, as she repositioned her files." We should still try to get something from the manager, although, I doubt our success."

"Weren't we going to try that agent instead?"

"Yes, but I would like to see if my luck is willing to change." Sally bit back a sarcastic remark, deciding that this situation could do without colorful comebacks.

The shuttle port was alive with activity that seemed to electrify the air and Sally inwardly smiled as the young pilots suited up for their intergalactic flights. It triggered a flush of nostalgia in her and brought back the few moments of pleasure that she had encountered during the war. She wondered if Une had those same feelings, but it seemed that Une had found her target and was locked on. Sally slowed her pace and allowed Une to continue on her own; Sally had had enough bitter disappointment today. How Une and her perfectionist strive for success didn't keep her down was beyond her understanding.

"Samuel Calvin?" Une addressed the man directly, but received no response. The smug man was beyond his prime and shouldn't have been allowed to work on shuttles, much less be around them. He seemed to be a walking stereotype, with his manager-from-hell temper and his choppy movements that seemed to deny the man any natural masculine grace. The man's tailored suit had probably cost more than the shuttle he was attending and his solid gold watch was wrapped tightly around his thick wrist.

Lady Une knew that her instant dislike of the man was partly because of her foul disposition, but she wasn't trying to make friends. She had walked straight towards the man and stood behind him without any sort of acknowledgement from him and from her point of view, this was not the type of fellow who understood "polite diplomacy."

"I don't care whether or not you intend to talk to me, but I certainly intend to speak with you," Lady Une said in a low voice, a voice that had somehow sneaked into Calvin's selective ears and pulled his head around as if by a horse's reigns.

"Anything that's going to come out of your mouth is going to get me in trouble." Calvin said, as if suddenly recognizing her. "Yes…I've heard about you, sneaking around here like some sort of thief…"

_Such a pleasant man_, Une thought with a sigh.

"Now I'm going to tell you this once and once only. I don't know anything about anybody. You can jabber all you like—Chris! Check the damn thrusters again like I told you to! Do you want that thing to jam up in the middle of space?—and you can ask as many questions as you want to, but don't think for one second that I'm going to be a break in this big mystery of yours."

"Well, how very disappointing," Une retorted. "Because for someone whose position it is to take care of everybody and everything, it's strange that you don't seem to know anything about anybody."

"That's because all he knows are machines, not people," a voice shouted from on top of the nearby shuttle.

"Well, then that would be very helpful because my questions just so happen to be about machines…very powerful ones, as a matter of fact," Une said staring over at Calvin. She had to hand it to the man. Most people found her intimidating, but this man was more annoyed than anything.

The man who spoke earlier appeared out of the cockpit like a messy jack-in-box and proceeded to slide down the side of the shuttle until his feet touched securely onto the ground. Calvin waved them off as he went to check on another shuttle, leaving Une with a positively filthy looking mechanic who was carelessly wiping his hands on a white rag.

"I'd shake your hand," he said apologetically. "But, as you can see…" He held out his hands to show that the now blackened rag hadn't done much to clean his oily hands and Une internally thanked him for that consideration. "Sorry for the Boss, but he's not much of a people person."

"So I've noticed," Une replied. The young man chuckled, giving Une a brilliant smile. Perhaps Une's foul mood wasn't as miserable as she thought. The man did look somewhat… handsome.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name," Une said hesitantly. Her main target was shouting his way across the deck and she was losing ground. Une weighed the pros and cons in her head and she decided if she was going to make a conscious effort to make small talk, she might as well stick around for it.

"Mario Bugiardo, at your service," he said with a slight mock bow. "And you're Lady Une, correct?"

Mr. Bugiardo seemed very pleased with knowing her name and, in an effort to humor him, she delighted him with a small smile. _Forced_, but a smile nonetheless.

"Very good, Mr. Bugiardo, it seems you've done your homework. Would you also like to tell me why I'm here?" His wide smile diminished a little, but still hung happily on the corners of his wide mouth.

"You need a little information on those mobile suits, right?" he asked. Une gave him a small nod.

"That's what I thought. But before we can get started, I've gotta tell ya. Boss is right when he says that we don't know a damn thing. I'm just a shuttle mechanic. I trained for the Alliance military, but that was all simulators. I never actually got to pilot one of those things."

His voice sounded disappointed, as though he had missed out on something spectacular. _Maybe he had_, Une thought to herself. _But there are things that he never had to see..._

"Oh, I'm very sorry to hear that," Une said somewhat dryly. She obviously wasn't very sorry at all, but it seemed somewhat necessary at the moment to provide false understanding.

"No, it's all right," he said with a wave. "That's all in the past now."

_Hopefully_, Une added to herself. "Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Bugiardo. I'm sure we'll meet again in the future."

"Sure, I'll look forward to it," he said with that wide smile of his. "And hey, if anything turns up, I'll be happy to let you know," he said, adding, "in private, of course," with his mouth covered.

"That would be a great help," said Une as she bid adieu to the energetic mechanic and walked towards Sally.

Sally, seeing that their hellish day was finally over, gave her a broad smile and walked triumphantly back to the shuttle, even though there was nothing "triumphant" about the day at all. Lady Une shook her head at Sally's misplaced enthusiasm, a ghost of a grin illuminating her features.

Within moments, the two women had requested clearance to disembark and were on their way to PM2.

"Mmm, freedom feels good," Sally mused, relaxing in her seat. This was one of the few instances where she was happy that Une was a control freak and just had to be the one to drive.

"I'm so glad to be leaving that place," Sally exhaled. "I kind of get tired going to places where the guys always chain up the welcome-wagon when we arrive."

"I'm afraid we're just not popular with men," Lady Une replied flatly, repositioning her glasses.

"Perhaps if you got contacts, maybe you wouldn't look so much like an angry librarian." Une blinked and turned to her, surprised by Sally's cheekiness.

"Excuse me?" she said, trying to sound offended, though she wasn't entirely sure if she was… indeed… offended.

"It's just a thought," Sally said with a wave of her hand. Sally turned her head towards the window, but Une could see from her reflection that a mischievous grin had settled on her face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Quatre trudged his way through the jungle, accidently disturbing some birds that had made their nest in a nearby tree. He had been inching along for the past hour and a half and his insides were soundly objecting to his decision.

It had been difficult getting Rashid to let him go in search of Wufei and now it seemed that Rashid had all the right in the world to be worried, Quatre noted as another migraine began to creep in between his eyes. He had barely been allowed to leave at all, except with the promise that Trowa would be nearby if anything were to go wrong. Plus, with the last of the Gundam pilots still missing, Quatre had to make sure he finished the job he was given by Miss Poe.

He was completely intent on locating Wufei, despite his bothersome pain. He had to. Sally, Duo, and Heero were already on their way to the launching pad in the Sahara and taking off without consulting Wufei would feel like a job left undone. Besides, time was of the essence. Trowa felt compelled to make a quick stop at the circus in order to confront Catherine at the circus tour on Earth, a meeting that would probably put Trowa in hot water. Quatre wondered how Trowa was preparing for it, but since he was alone on the other side of the jungle, Quatre was sure he had plenty of time to himself to think up a few reasonable things to say.

The sun beamed down heavily but only a speck of light succeeded in breaking through the canopy. Sweat stuck Quatre's hair to his forehead like glue and only after several tries did it finally lift to its usual position. It was interesting being in the jungle. Often, he spent much of his time in the desert and also, on rare occasions when Rashid was able to accompany him to the colonies, at the colonial representative meetings. Being in a position of power like the Winner Corporation had many drawbacks, including making him an unwilling participant in the Earth Sphere Unified Nation. He was already bogged down with all the paperwork that was coming in from his colony headquarters. Trying to become some kind of politician was well out of his league.

Physically exhausted, Quatre sat down slowly on a stone next to one of the many tall trees that surrounded him. He grabbed his side and steadied his breathing, forcing himself to breathe through his nose instead of his mouth. Quatre laughed at himself, still surprised by his long recovery. Determined to prove that he'd made progress, he lifted his body up after a few moments. Looking to his right, he saw a small opening where rays of light appeared to be streaming in without hindrance. Heading towards it, he found a clearing where green vegetation sprouted merely a few inches from the ground in any given location, unlike the rest of the jungle with its booming agriculture.

To Quatre's delight, in the distance, he noticed a camouflage tent, a good sign that he had come to the right place. He let his gaze fall on the sleeping Altron Gundam that lay about 40 yards in front of him. He glanced around curiously, unable to see where Wufei was. After a few moments, he finally noticed him working diligently on the left arm.

"Wufei!" The figure in the distance stood up and gave him a brief nod as a form of acknowledgment. Quatre waved with relief and walked slowly to where Wufei stood. He was satisfactorily occupied, though with battles completely non-existent, Quatre was had to wonder what he was working on. Wufei repositioned himself on his Gundam into a sitting position and cast his eyes down to meet Quatre's. As the young man approached him, Quatre could see that Wufei's face held a disapproving frown.

"Winner, you're a mess," he said, eyeing his muddy shoes and smudged face. "What's so important that you had to claw your way through the jungle to get here?"

"I had to find you," Quatre responded, panting a little from the heat. It may have been hot in the jungle, but standing under direct sunlight wasn't a picnic either.

"Why?"

"Sally and Miss Noin asked if I could find you and see if you would be willing to return to Peacemillion. Trowa, Duo and Heero--"

"Is this about L7?" Wufei asked abruptly.

"Yes," Quatre replied with a surprised look on his face. "But how did you know?"

"It was pretty obvious, considering that the news on L7 was able to reach out this far. I downloaded, enhanced, and examined the images of the wreckage. Despite their charred appearance, I noticed that the inscriptions on the mobile suits weren't like that of OZ or the Alliance when I was finally able to get a good look at them. I'm sure Sally and Noin are just now figuring that out." Wufei rose and glanced over Altron with a questioning look. "Are we addressed to bring our Gundams?"

"Yes, Trowa and I are to meet Sally and the others soon."

"So you have your Gundam with you?"

"Of course… why?"

"Why didn't you use it to reach me?" Quatre flushed noticeably, but not from the heat.

"Truthfully," Quatre began. "I haven't really upgraded it and it wouldn't be able to come out this far even if the circumstances were dire. Besides, we were unable to detect a landing site closer to you." Wufei nodded his head and opened his cockpit door.

"So… you expect me to agree to with arrangement?" he said loudly as he lowered himself into the cockpit.

"No, not at all, but it would be great if you came along." Quatre watched as Altron's eyes began to glow with an intense green light as the magnanimous machine was commanded into an upright position. Once it was securely placed, Wufei emerged from the interior of Altron and looked down at Quatre_._

"Are you coming or not?" Wufei asked. Quatre smiled warmly and, with more than a little effort, pulled the line that was thrown down to him. He was instantly lifted through the air to the cockpit. Stepping inside, he squeezed himself behind the pilot's seat so that Wufei would be able to see.

"So," Wufei started. "Everybody is heading for space." As they headed towards the shuttle, Quatre eagerly undated him on their plan to head out to Peacemillion. Wufei listened quietly, wondering what the hell they were getting themselves into…

…again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She sat in her pressed uniform that was most becoming to her complexion, at least, that's what the magazines had said at some point. Her hair was tied loosely behind her, the ends reaching slightly above the middle of her back. She placed her hands in her lap, content to be useless at the moment, her breathing steady and unwavering.

Relena rubbed her cold arm as a sudden draft drifted in from the doorway. Gazing out the window, she let her eyes glaze over, trying to clear her mind of all the mess that was going on in the Earth Sphere and finding that her thoughts merely traveled elsewhere. She didn't notice the colony grounds which were effectively covered with tall buildings and a few small homes in the eastern front. There were no trees or shrubbery on L11 because when compared to the necessity of industrial expansion, flowers were a luxury. The place was agriculturally barren, and seemed to be nothing more than a concentrated universe of metal and concrete.

She longed to return to her old home on Earth, but she had taken an extended leave of absence to participate in the ESUN meetings. When she was able to get a few moments to herself, Relena was usually on L3, where her mother had taken up residence after her father's death. The school in that region was top notch and the absolute best was all that was offered to the former Queen of the World.

_Only the best for my daughter_, her mother had said, but Relena wasn't sure if she really wanted the best. The_ best_, and all the other little details of her life, were giving her a stomach ache.

She turned around in her chair so that she could face the room and rested her cheek on the back of her hand. There had been many times when Relena could almost hear her father speak in these instances and she dreamed of seeing him again, if only for a moment. The pictures of him posted around the room weren't enough to consol her. Relena thought she had moved on, but when the world was no longer in imminent danger, she was quickly revisited by a pain that she had not fully dealt with yet.

"Relena! Can you hear me?" Relena's thoughts fled like startled cockroaches back into the darkness of her mind as Mrs. Darlian jarred her from her suffocating thoughts. Her face always looked much older when she was concerned and it was one of those moments where Relena could actually see her mother's age.

"Are you all right, my dear? I'm sorry if I disturbed your thoughts, but I was fearful that something was wrong."

"I'm all right, mother," Relena replied softly. "Really, I am. You shouldn't trouble yourself like this. You look even more anxious than I feel."

"I'm sorry, but I just wanted to remind you that you have a meeting with the rest of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation and the Warbon Foundation in a couple of hours. I was afraid you might have forgotten. You know that being head of this organization, you must be early to greet each representative of the council."

"Thank you for reminding me. It seems I've lost track of time," she lied, knowing full well what her schedule was going to be like that day.

"Good luck then." Mrs. Darlian proceeded back to the door and began to turn the handle, but before she made her way out of the room, she looked back at her daughter. "Relena?"

"Yes?"

"If there's anything you want to talk about," she began. "I'm always willing to listen."

"Really, I'm fine. I'm just thinking of father, that's all." Mrs. Darlian smiled sadly at her daughter and quietly left the room. As the silence began to grow louder in the large office, she drifted back into her mind and let it wander on its own.

_He's coming back, _a small voice whispered in her head._ You know he is. He's been on the colonies for some time now, but he'll be going back to Peacemillion. You know if there's a threat, he'll fight. It's only a matter of time…_

TBC

Zeelo: I still don't have my fanfics from America. Boo!! I really don't want to have to start over from scratch.


	4. Five Shooting Stars Return to Space

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. Never have, never will.

XXXXXXXXXX: represents scene/time change

Warnings: strong language, violence, possible shonen-ai/yaoi references and/or content, possible shoujo-ai/yuri references and/or content, and… you know what? Let's throw in suggestive dialogue for good measure.

**Chapter Two (Act I)**

**Five Shooting Stars Return to Space**

"Are you sure you have to do this?" Catherine asked, her voice laden with concern. The memories of the war were still fresh in her mind and the last thing she wanted was for Trowa to rush out into another mess some idiot had thrown together.

Trowa looked at her with an impassive expression, but his eyes carried the heavy burden of guilt. He had been toying with the idea of staying in the Earth Sphere, but he had a churning in his gut that was telling him how unwise that decision would be. It was the first time that he could remember hesitating in anything that might involve the Gundams. Flying out to space on a moment's notice and having to come face to face with an upset Catherine had been a very close match indeed.

"Yes, I feel obligated to," he finally replied after some moments. Catherine frowned and glanced over at Quatre with irritation, as if he were to blame for this whole scenario. Quatre offered her a weak smile, an indication that he had no intention of convincing him otherwise.

"It'll be lonely around here without you…" A crooked smile shadowed onto Trowa's face and disappeared within an instant.

"Guilt will not alter my decision," Trowa replied. Catherine stared at him, an angry spark glittering in the edges of her eyes. She struggled to find some other argument to keep him with her, but those pilots were a stubborn lot and no amount of reasoning was going to change his decision. Heaving an exasperated sigh, she crossed her arms and shifted her weight.

"Whatever… just be careful, okay?" Trowa nodded his head. It was a wonder that he had survived the war without a little luck, because, before he could react, Catherine slipped through his defenses and embraced him. There were only a few on his list that could have gotten so close without causing him suspicion, and it seemed that Catherine was one of those people.

He remained rigid for a few moments, unsure of how to handle the situation, especially when it was in front of Quatre and Wufei, but he realized how important this contact was to her. Leaning forward, he returned the gesture and was surprised when she suddenly pushed him away, tears swimming on the edges of her eyes.

_Did I do something wrong?_ Trowa panicked and, without knowing what to do, he turned to Quatre unconsciously for help. Quatre simply shook his head with a soft smile and nodded to the craft. They didn't have any time to waste.

Quatre began to follow Trowa, who had turned away from the circus and towards the plane, but the former was stopped by an icy hand on his shoulder.

"You had better take good care of him, Quatre Winner," Catherine said in a clipped voice. "I don't want him coming back in pieces."

"I can assure you. He'll have people watching out for him."

"Yeah, and not a lot of friendly people, either." To Quatre's surprise, she gave Quatre a soft squeeze on his shoulder and released him with a sigh.

"And, I can't believe I'm saying this," she continued. "But… take care of yourself, too. You guys deserve more than this."

"Thank you," Quatre said. "Most people wouldn't agree with you." Catherine scoffed and shooed him away with a flick of her hand. Quatre gave her a final farewell and picked up the pace until he was able to fall in beside Trowa.

"Are you sure you want to go?" Quatre asked, looking up at him with a quiet sentiment. It had been different during the war. Everything they did had a purpose and every failure they encountered was another nail in the coffin, but this time was different. Trowa had the choice to turn away from something that he was not directly involved in. Quatre wanted to be sure that if this turned into another conflict, Trowa knew he had the option to stay right where he was.

"This seems to be the most logical option," Trowa replied softly.

"Not everyone follows logic."

"Alright, intuition then," Trowa offered. Quatre smiled kindly at him as they crossed the area in front of the circus, taking in the last remnants of a world that could have been written into any storybook. In the distance, they could see Wufei leaning casually against the plane, his eyes perusing the words of a paperback book. Upon their arrival, he secured his place with a bookmark and slipped inside the plane to notify Akhmed that they were going to be taking off. By the time Trowa and Quatre stepped inside the plane, the engines were already warming up for take-off.

"Ready?" Wufei asked. With one glance out of the window, they secured the hatch and prepared themselves for their meeting with their fellow Gundam pilots.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"When are they supposed to get here?" asked Duo, yawning heavily.

Sally let a playful smile slip onto her face. "Come on, Duo. This should be easy for you! How much waiting did you have to do during the war?" she asked.

She was right about that, Duo had to admit. Duo had been in situations where saying "patience is a virtue" was a gross understatement. The slightest movement in a dark corner of an OZ base could have cost him his life, but in this situation…

"But there's nothing to do!" he exclaimed. "This isn't a life or death situation. It's not like I have a gun pointed at me or anything!"

"That can be arranged," Heero suggested helpfully. Duo craned his neck around to see Heero, arms crossed, looking down at Duo as the latter sat on the hot asphalt with his legs splayed out in front of him.

"Well, I appreciate your help," Duo shot back sarcastically. "But I can take care of this dilemma on my own."

"Fine," Heero replied. "Would you like to use my gun or your own?"

"That's not what I meant," Duo countered, his eyebrow twitching ever so slightly with irritation. Standing up, Duo went straight to Heero, mouth open and his finger poised in a manner that meant an abundant lack of silence, but before he could begin—

"They're here." The hum of a plane beyond the sand dunes was drawing nearer, a faint sound like the buzzing of an insect's wings. If Heero hadn't said anything, Duo would have missed the sound all together.

"And it's about time," Duo said, his thoughts delayed, but not forgotten. Duo was excited to see the others and Heero's morbid sense of humor—or at least, that's what Duo was hoping it was—was not going to get in the way.

Heero had been sitting there for hours with the fidgeting fool and it was getting on his last nerves. He had thought his complete lack of concentration was from his utter boredom, but it seemed that Duo was quite eager to greet his fellow pilots. He also had to admit, perhaps on a subconscious level, that seeing the others was like a breath of fresh air after finally escaping the confines of L2. Heero wasn't much for reunions and comradery, but after making his way out of the war alive, enrolling in school and fulfilling the everyday role of a stereotypical schoolboy was vastly overrated.

Heero took one full breath of that air of freedom and looked to the sky as the aircraft with the Winner insignia approached. He shielded his eyes from the whirls of sand that dusted the landing site, watching as the wheels bounced and skidded along the runway. As the plane circled closer to them, Heero turned away from the scene and entered the shuttle. The Gundams would have to be transferred as quickly as possible. Even in a deserted place like the middle of the Sahara Desert, there were no guarantees that a few curious eyes wouldn't peek out from under the sand.

When the plane finally settled, Duo began to walk over to the aircraft. He intended to casually make his way towards it, showing that he was not too enthusiastic, but interested just the same. Then, the hatch opened and a figure emerged from the inside. Patience abandoned Duo when he recognized the boy and began to jog over to the now silent machine.

"Quatre!" Upon hearing Duo's call, he looked up and waved back to his ally, who was now sprinting towards the plane. Trowa appeared silently from the cockpit and snuck back to the rear of the craft, knowing that getting into a conversation with Duo would require a long term commitment.

As Quatre finally made his way down from the makeshift staircase to the earth below, he only had a few milliseconds to prepare himself for the onslaught that was Duo.

Quatre's arms opened just in time as Duo barreled into him, hugging him close with all the effort he could muster. Quatre's side burned from the contact, but he dutifully ignored it. The waves of emotion that were pounding into Quatre were telling him that Duo was completely and utterly happy to see him and it was that brilliant honesty that brought tears to Quatre's eyes. When he had played this meeting over and over in his head, this wasn't the most common scenario that had entered his mind. He was used to the stiff handshakes of his fellow colonial officials and Winner board members, so he hadn't been sure what to expect in this situation, but he was sure that this was much better than he had hoped.

"It's good to see ya, man!" Duo said amidst his laughter, pulling Quatre to him. To Hell with what the others might think. He had really missed the guy. Quatre held onto him for a few more moments before finally pulling away. He immediately regretted it, because when he moved back, his unshed tears reigned in Duo's feelings of happiness and tore away at its radiance.

"You okay?" Duo asked. Quatre nodded and took in a ragged breath. Duo's emotions had effectively taken his breath away.

"Yeah," he rasped after he had taken in a lungful of air. "I just didn't think that you'd be so happy to see me."

"Well, you kind of took off like a bat outta Hell after it was all said and done. I mean, you had a lot to take care of… I've always wondered how you were doing. It's still healing, right?" he asked. Duo then pretended to spit on his hands and buff out the wound that was still left in Quatre's side. Quatre pushed him away, laughing.

"Yeah, it's still healing, but it's all right."

"You're just a trooper, that's all," Duo replied, looking up as Wufei came down the stairs.

"Wufei, look! It's Duo!"

"Were you expecting someone else?" Wufei asked as he stepped down to their level.

"Oh, nice to see you, too, buddy," Duo said dryly, a small smile playing on his lips. "You know, I've dreamed about this…the two of us meeting again. The way I pictured it, I mean, with the golden sunset in the distance and the light playing off the clouds, I figured you and me-"

"Pace yourself, Duo," Wufei warned. "You're like a potent medicine, which should only be taken in small doses."

"Oh, ha ha, very funny," Duo replied flatly. Wufei ignored his reply and began to head to the back of the plane to retrieve Altron. Across the platform in his peripheral vision, he spotted the perfect soldier leaning in the shadows, a clear indication that the shuttle was ready to be boarded. Wufei gave his comrade a brief nod of acknowledgement, a nod that was dutifully returned. With one easy jump, Wufei landed on the gangway and headed into the cargo hold.

He could hear Quatre in the distance hinting kindly that he had to check on his Gundam, but Duo was somewhat adamant in making sure that Heero and Quatre had a proper meeting. Slightly curious, Wufei turned around in time to see Quatre give the Japanese man a soft smile and then extend his hand towards him. They shook hands roughly, perhaps even mechanically, and from Duo's expression it seemed he was not at all pleased with their lackluster greeting.

Wufei hadn't realized he had been staring until Trowa startled him out of his reverie with a gentle squeeze of his shoulder.

"Just by looking at them," Wufei started. "You wouldn't think that they had piloted the Gundams. They look more like boys trying to act like adults."

"They've already seen things that most adults will never come across. Perhaps they're just trying to fill the part."

"Sure," Wufei said with a smile. "If you want to look at it that way…" Turning back, he noticed Quatre striding towards them, having effectively diverted Duo's attention back to Heero. Quatre's appearance reminded Wufei of the task at hand and he began to make his way towards Altron's cockpit.

"Are you all right?" Trowa asked once Wufei was out of earshot. Duo's enthusiasm in seeing Quatre again didn't help the fact that he was in worse condition than he let on. If it had not been for Duo's sheer delight at their meeting, Trowa would have readily stepped in.

"Stop worrying, Trowa. I'm fine," he said as he headed towards his own Gundam. Trowa shook his head. That was the same excuse every time and he always said it while he was walking away, a clear indication that there was no reason to discuss the matter.

Trowa allowed Quatre a little more space, realizing that he was falling behind the others. Pulling down the cord from his cockpit, he gave it a good tug and was quickly launched into the air towards Heavyarms' controls.

Stepping inside, he quickly noticed that the cockpit seemed much smaller than he remembered, but perhaps, after staying at the Winner mansion for some time, he had probably forgotten what it was like to be in such a confined space.

Trowa didn't have to look at the control panel to know where the right levers and buttons were. He let his hands guide him with a sense of habit that would probably follow him to the grave. And yet, even as he touched the controls of his own machine, a touch that had been perfected in battle, something felt noticeably different, something he couldn't pin down.

"Do you think we'll have to use the Gundams again?" Trowa asked through the communication link, sliding one of his hands over the familiar lever.

"It goes without saying," Wufei replied, flicking on his vid screens as he secured a channel to Sandrock and Heavyarms.

"You're not being very reassuring," Quatre said, his face now visible in the top left hand side of Wufei's screen.

"Of course I am," Wufei corrected. "I'm _reassuring _you that we're going to have to use our Gundams again." Quatre shook his head as Altron's hatch closed completely, letting their conversation drop.

"How long is the flight from here to Peacemillion?" Trowa's intercom bellowed, as Nataku stood up and proceeded out of the hatch.

"At least ten hours, depending on the amount of shuttles already in the atmosphere," Quatre replied. Quatre watched as Altron exited the shuttle, sensing something from inside the Gundam that made his chest tighten.

He tried to ease away the pain by rubbing his chest, but it didn't seem to be having any effect. In an effort to ignore it, Quatre activated Sandrock's full power system and waited for the myriad of flashing lights and sensors to flicker to life. "No offense to you, Sandrock, but I hope we don't set foot on another battlefield."

Suddenly, the growing pain is his chest spiked and he lurched over the straps holding him in place, grimacing as his chest tightened like a vice. Sweat rolled down his face and he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

"Hey, you all right?" Trowa asked when Quatre's Gundam failed to make any movement. Quatre reached to shakily move the lever that was linked to Sandrock's left arm, hoping that this would suffice as a decent response. Heavyarms hesitantly accepted the response and was soon out of sight.

Thankfully, within his chest, he felt a great release as both Wufei and Trowa headed away from him. He laid back, slowly easing away the pain. Quatre located his communication channel and switched it off as Sandrock took his first heavy steps out into the blinding sun.

"It always has to be something, doesn't it?" Quatre whispered softly inside of his cockpit as the edge of this pain died down. "When will this pass?"

Quatre had begun noticing in recent months that his empathy was becoming stronger. Perhaps peace had been able to open up a part of himself that he had kept locked away to protect his sanity or perhaps he had simply discovered a part of his humanity that had yet to be found at that point. Whatever the reason, every emotion that tug at a person seemed to target his chest like a heat-seeking laser, often giving him sudden bouts of pain. He kept this to himself, especially since Trowa and Rashid were likely to lock him in a room if he had let on about his… _condition_.

Quatre silently hoped that this problem would gradually wear off, leaving him to guess how other people felt based off of simple cues like a normal person. At times, it was nice to feel another person's happiness or joy, but most times, especially during an era that was filled with uncertainty and lingering disappointment, even after the attainment of peace, most emotions that seemed to tear their way into his heart were not pretty…no, they were not pretty at all.

As his pain slipped into a quiet nothingness, he began to move Sandrock, hoping that Sandrock's months of slumber had not completely destroyed his ability to make the short distance to the shuttle. Fortunately, Quatre discovered that Sandrock was functioning quite well for an unused machine and easily made it to the holding area inside the shuttle.

Once the Gundams were effectively secured, the shuttle powered up and was able to safely make it into the atmosphere. Within the day, they would finally set foot on the newly crafted Peacemillion.

TBC

Zeelo: I still…don't have…my fanfics…from America.

Also, I just figured out what Lagrange points are. Maybe I need to watch this series again. I'm sure there are other things I've missed.


End file.
